A new study suggests that stepping into a virtual forest or standing before a digital waterfall might do more than just relax you. It could help reduce pain.
Researchers at the University of Exeter found that using VR headsets to explore calming natural scenes eased pain sensitivity.
In some cases, the effects were almost as strong as pain medication. While this does not mean VR can replace prescribed treatments, it shows how technology and nature could work together to support pain management, especially for people who cannot easily get outdoors.
The closer to nature you feel, the greater the relief
The study involved 29 healthy volunteers who were given mild electric shocks to their forearms to simulate the kind of heightened pain sensitivity often seen in chronic pain. The researchers then tested how VR nature scenes affected their pain compared with watching the same scenes on a regular 2D screen.
Participants slipped on VR headsets and found themselves surrounded by 360-degree views of Oregon’s waterfalls and forests. When they explored these virtual landscapes, their pain sensitivity was significantly reduced compared to watching the scenes on a flat screen. The stronger the feeling of actually being there in the virtual environment, the greater the pain relief.
Brain scans showed the VR experience switched on the brain’s own natural pain relief system. The calming effects lasted at least five minutes after the VR session ended. It is not a lifetime but a promising start that suggests VR could be part of a broader toolkit for managing pain.
Lead researcher Dr Sam Hughes explained, “Not everyone with long-term pain can get outside, so VR offers a way to bring nature to them and harness the brain’s built-in pain control systems.” He added that the sense of presence or feeling truly part of the virtual world seems to be key to the pain relief effect.
I don’t have chronic pain myself, but I have loved ones in my life who do, and I’m not sure how convinced they would be if I bought them one of the best VR headsets as a solution. Chronic pain is complex and personal, and this study was done on healthy volunteers with temporary pain, not long-term sufferers.
Still, for anyone who has ever felt their shoulders relax after a walk in the park or enjoyed the sound of waves, this research suggests you can technically capture that feeling from your living room without needing walking shoes. It’s an interesting take on how technology and nature can work together to offer new ways to support wellbeing.
